BookToReadChapter 234 In that moment, Elodie paused to think.
This hotel was owned by The Silverstein Group, managed directly by Mrs. Lucinda Silverstein herself. As the head of the family, Jarrod naturally had sauthority here as well.
So, was it Jarrod who had arranged for the flowers to be delivered? But then again, they were about to finalize their divorce in just a matter of days. Their marriage was coming to an end. Sending flowers on an occasion like this seemed oddly out of place.
"Did you need something?" Elodie asked, standing by the door. Her tone was calm and polite, but she made no move to invite Jarrod in. She didn't even mention the bouquet sitting so prominently inside.
Jarrod looked down at her cool, detached expression, studying her for a moment before finally speaking. "My grandmother called me." Just that, nothing more.
Elodie instantly understood. Of course. Mrs. Silverstein was probably worried and had called Jarrod to check up on what day it was, or whether the two of them were really together.
"Just tell her whatever you want," Elodie replied evenly.
Jarrod nodded toward the hotel. "She knows we're both staying at the Goldspire.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtShe wants us to video call her together later." Elodie considered this for a moment and finally agreed. "Alright." They'd kept up this charade for a year and signed the agreement; there were certain rules she hardly needed Jarrod to remind her of anymore.
She turned away, heading back inside.
Jarrod followed, strolling in at his own pace.
He glanced around the room and immediately noticed the bouquet sitting on the sofa-so eye-catching, and yet, so clearly ignored.
His gaze skimmed over it without comment.
He didn't mention the flowers, nor did he bring up Elodie's birthday.
By the tJarrod reached the coffee table, Elodie had already swept up her handwritten notes and laptop, clearing everything away in record time.
She didn't say a word, but her wariness was obvious.
Jarrod respected her unspoken wishes and waited a short distance away until she'd finished putting everything away.
When she was done, he raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing and ambiguous. "Nothing left that I'm not allowed to see?" Elodie glanced back, sensing that there was a double meaning hidden in his words-half-joking, half-mocking. Jarrod added with a careless shrug, "Mind if I sit down?" "Suit yourself," Elodie replied.
Only after her important documents were safely stowed away did she finally relax.
Jarrod sat down, checked the time, and seemed lost in thought.
Elodie ignored him, but couldn't help wondering: When was he planning to leave? And when would this video call take place? She was already exhausted.
Jarrod glanced up from his phone and noticed how tired she looked. "Have you had a checkup lately?" He hesitated, then added, "Is VistaLink Technologies working you to the bone?" Elodie zipped her suitcase shut and snapped the lock before answering, "No." Her reply was perfunctory-polite, but nothing more.
Jarrod clearly picked up on her indifference, but didn't seem to mind. He smirked and said, "We'll call my grandmother at ten-thirty. Just hang in there a little longer." Elodie checked the clock.
A little over twenty minutes to go.
She'd been burning the candle at both ends these past few days, and tonight she was more spent than ever. "When it's time, knock on the door. I'll cout. Until then, make yourself at home." She didn't wait for his response.
Elodie slipped into the bedroom, intending to grab a quick nap.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe couldn't care less how Jarrod chose to kill toutside. There was nothing left for them to talk about anyway.
As for his grandmother's call, it was obvious Jarrod would know today was her birthday. But he hadn't wished her happy birthday, and honestly, she no longer saw the point.
As for the flowers, she didn't care enough to speculate.
Jarrod glanced at his phone, then reclined back on the sofa and looked toward the closed bedroom door. Eventually, his gaze drifted to the bouquet on the coffee table across the room.
When Elodie woke up, daylight was streaming in through the gap in the curtains. She sat up, surprised that she'd managed to sleep through the night. Jarrod hadn't knocked to wake her for the video call with his grandmother. She was a light sleeper-if he'd knocked, she would have heard it. Elodie didn't dwell on it. She got up and went to wash up.
By the tshe cback, Jarrod was gone. The suite was empty.
She took it in stride and headed to her closet to change. That's when she noticed a black velvet jewelry box on her nightstand she had no idea when it had been left there.
She opened it, and to her shock, found an emerald-green jade necklace set with diamonds. The color was flawless.
As she examined it more closely, Elodie realized the craftsmanship, the stone, the way the diamonds were set-every detail matched perfectly with the Thorne family heirloom ring she'd inherited.
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